One person or group considers another person or group as [[TheRival their rival]], and will not allow anyone else to be the one to defeat them. This can sometimes lead to them [[RivalsTeamUp helping their rival]] [[EnemyMine against other enemies]], justifying it with [[IWasJustPassingThrough a lame excuse]], to make sure that they survive until the final battle between the rivals. Sometimes, this trope can become the basis of a HeelFaceTurn. It also frequently leads to NotSoDifferent and AntagonistInMourning.

This is also the one-sided obsession of the UnknownRival. It's also ([[EvilVersusOblivion usually]]) a big no-no on the EvilOverlordList (see [[EvilOverlordListCellblockA #117]]).

This may be motivated by respect given to a WorthyOpponent. It can lead into FoeYay if this excuse is used too much; and opportunities to defeat the rival are not taken.

In some cases it can simply be fueled by pure {{pride}}, as [[ItsAllAboutMe a more egotistical villain]] will find the mere thought of someone else taking credit for a goal he has worked so hard for utterly insufferable.

Compare OnlyICanKillHim, for where the character in question really is the only one who can defeat the rival. Also compare LeaveHimToMe, HypocriticalHeartwarming. Sometimes this is the reason behind SecretIdentityApathy.

----!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* ''Manga/BlackButler'': Especially season 2, Sebastian contractually owns Ciel's soul and will kill anyone who tries to kill Ciel before he can eat his soul, even other demons. In the anime he actually does try to murder Ciel.* ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'': Kamui [[InLoveWithYourCarnage gets excited]] watching Gintoki fight Hosen. He declares Gintoki is his (prey) and that he won't allow anyone else to touch him. He even leaves Yoshiwara alone so that nobody will come after Gintoki, and to a lesser extent Kagura.* Goemon and Lupin from ''Franchise/LupinIII'' is an archetypal example of the HeelFaceTurn variant of this trope in Anime. In addition, Detective Zenigata and Lupin are another example from the same series.* Nagi and Ryoko in the 1st ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' TV series. [[spoiler:Nagi joins in the heroes' effort to save Jurai from the usurper Kagato, just to make sure nobody else gets a chance to kill Ryoko.]]* Kuwabara is like this to Yusuke in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', at least for the first few arcs. It doesn't come up for a while afterwards, [[spoiler:but then, in the Chapter Black storyline, when Yusuke's about to die, Kuwabara reveals that his only dream is to one day defeat him, and basically, for him, [[SpiritedCompetitor mostly everything worthwhile about his life has been getting there]].]]* In a strange inversion in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Itachi Uchiha basically says that the only one allowed to defeat him is his younger brother, Sasuke. In Itachi's case [[spoiler:this is all part of a larger plan: he intentionally died, making Sasuke think he won, to make Sasuke strong enough to survive Madara and redeem the clan's honor. That...didn't exactly go as planned.]] Also, Naruto and Sasuke, mutually. [[spoiler:Madara also intends for Sasuke and Naruto to fight as he wants them to settle an old ideological grudge between the Uchiha and Senju clans, with Naruto symbolically representing the Senju.]]** Gaara at one point declares a statement like this, marking Sasuke as his prey. It's a subversion as Sasuke is brushed aside rather quickly, not being up to snuff to play with monsters, and Gaara eventually gives up on the idea altogether.** Also, the sound ninja Dosu wants to be the one to fight Sasuke in the Chunin exams, so he tracks down Sasuke's assigned opponent, planning to kill him. Unfortunately that opponent was Gaara, who murders Dosu in about five seconds.** Plus, Raikage wants to be the one who defeats/kills Sasuke. He abandons it after he learns [[spoiler:that Killer Bee, his little brother and the guy Sasuke captured, actually trolled Sasuke and the whole village to take a vacation.]]** Deidara had it out for both [[spoiler: Itachi and Orochimaru, for being the reasons he got stuck in Akatsuki in the first place]] and then [[spoiler: Sasuke]] happened...* In ''Anime/{{Noir}}'', Chloe decides to [[AffablyEvil go for a walk]] with her assassination target (who knows perfectly well why she's there). She then kills a group of men that was also sent after him. When he expresses his gratitude, she reminds him that she is still going to kill him — she only saved him because if the other group killed him, she wouldn't be able to fulfill her mission.* Suzuka and Gene Starwind in ''Manga/OutlawStar'' (The HeelFaceTurn variant again, and probably a {{Homage}} to ''Franchise/LupinIII'').* Suzu and Tetsunosuke in ''Manga/PeacemakerKurogane'' (though Suzu later feels this much more than Tetsunosuke).* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': Ryoga's VillainousRescue against Ranma's other enemies during the [[BroughtDownToNormal Moxibustion Arc]].* Rau Le Creuset in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed'' believes he is the only one who can kill... [[DarkMessiah everything]]. Especially Kira.* [[LargeHam Graham]] [[HotBlooded Aker]] of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' believes that he's the only one allowed to defeat Setsuna F. Seiei (or more to the point, Setsuna's Gundam). Setsuna has more important things to do.** In the side stories, this trope is how [[PsychoForHire Fon Spaak's]] relationship with Celestial Being begins. In 00P, he manages put together some clues and begins to suspect the existence of some sort of secret organization. He then organizes an ambush and has his ass promptly handed to him a Gundam, but Celestial Being's supercomputer orders the pilot to let Fon go, because he's too good to just kill off and won't leak the information anyway because... well, see the page title.* Jin and Mugen, mutually, in ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo''.** Becomes the main theme throughout the show, especially with the main characters: [[RedOniBlueOni Jin and Mugen]] each live this trope in their [[FriendlyEnemy friendship]] and ardently believes that they are only ones to kill each other. This also is ''the only thing'' that keeps them with Fuu throughout the show as they promised her that they would not kill each other until they help her find "the samurai that smells of sunflowers". Additionally Fuu spends the entire show trying to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers [[spoiler:so that she can exact her revenge against him for abandoning her and her mother when Fuu was little. She is robbed of this pleasure when she finds him dying in the last episode.]]** Also, the secondary and tertiary characters follow this trope with many of Jin's former dojo partners hunting him down [[spoiler:so they can exact their revenge against him for killing their master]], all while believing that none should rob them of the opportunity to do so. Mugen too was betrayed by [[spoiler:his friend]] in the past and thus thought that he would be the only one to kill him too. Sheesh, this show must believe that revenge is a dish best served by yourself.*** Created an interesting situation in which [[spoiler:one of Mugen's old partners shows up and subsequently betrays Mugen, seemingly killing him. Jin proceeds to kill him for killing the man he was supposed to defeat, but when Mugen shows up alive, he is extremely angry at Jin for killing the other man he thought only he was allowed to kill.]]* Hajime Saitou and Kenshin Himura in ''Manga/RurouniKenshin''. Also, to a lesser extent, Aoshi Shinomori and Kenshin Himura.** And Sanosuke Sagara and Saitou, though that is [[UnknownRival one-sided]] on Sanosuke's part.* Kirisawa Fuuko and Hanabishi Recca, Ishijima Domon and Recca, and Kurei and Recca (mutual) in ''Manga/FlameOfRecca''.* Oogami Souma and Tsubasa in ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko''. In an odd, twisted way, also Himemiya Chikane and Kurusugawa Himeko.* Seto Kaiba and Yugi Muto, or rather "the other Yugi", in ''Anime/YuGiOh''. In Season 4 of the anime, Yugi loses to TheDragon. When Kaiba hears this, he throws what can only be described as a "temper tantrum".** In season zero Kaiba defeats the three Hekate for Yuugi as Yuugi's puzzle was stolen and thus could not transform. The final words of the episode were him saying "And don't forget! The one to defeat you... Has to be me."** [[BiggerBad Bakura]] also, as he wants Yugi's Millennium Puzzle and thus will allow no one else to claim it before he does.** Yugi Muto and the pharaoh, actually, when it comes time for the Ceremonial Duel. Even in the anime when Kaiba strangles Yugi, Yugi refuses to let anyone else fight his other half. [[spoiler:And then [[BadAssNormal Yugi totally wins.]]]]* In ''Anime/YuGiOhZexal'' Gauche desires to be the one to defeat Yuma (because Yuma has what he believes is "the original Number") so much that he allies himself with Yuma when it looks like there is a chance that someone else will beat him to it. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for Gauche, while Yuma does lose a couple of duels, he isn't the one who defeats him.]] (Note that Gauche really isn't a bad person... He's just very competitive.)* Goku and Vegeta in ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. Also Goku and Piccolo (Junior) early on, which is why they teamed up against Raditz in the first place. After Piccolo got to kill them both, his motive for being a villain dried up - he claimed that the revived Goku would be next if they could beat the Saiyans, but the HeelFaceTurn had already taken hold by that point. ** In one of the non-canonical movies, Vegeta shouts ''"Kakarotto wa '''ore no mono da!!'''"'' ("Kakarot is ''mine!''") when Android 13 is beating his rival to death, and charges in to protect Goku. Obviously in context it's something like "he's ''my'' prey, screw off," but it was all too easy for {{Yaoi Fangirl}}s to squeal "HoYay!"** Likewise (but without the HoYay potential), when the main series, Goku (weakened by disease) is being trounced by Android 19, Vegeta comes to his rescue. He then informs 19 that "Nobody kills Kakarot while I'm around! Destiny has reserved that pleasure for me!"** Of course in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' there's both Vegeta's [[DynamicEntry dynamic entries]], which involve him flying in yelling "...mineminemineminemine mine mine mine mine MINE MINE MINE MINE!"** Done yet again in ''Anime/FusionReborn'', where Goku is backed into a corner by the newly-transformed Janemba. Just when Janemba is about to deliver the final blow, Vegeta rescues him in the nick of time, and pretty much re-iterates this trope.* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'', the protagonists and antagonists both constantly forsake team combat and outside intervention in favor of fighting the same opponent they faced in the first episode one-on-one. This most notably produces the Fate/Signum rivalry, for which the HeelFaceTurn, NotSoDifferent, and AntagonistInMourning options are all realized.* Iscariot is this to ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', to such an extent that Anderson's squad of {{Church Militant}}s actually go out of their way to save Integra [[BigDamnHeroes from the clutches of a squad of Millennium soldiers]], declaring that they, not some creatures of the night, will be the ones to defeat the Hellsing organization.** Well, that is because of this trope ''and'' the fact that Iscariot is a rival vampire-killing organization anyway.* In ''Anime/AfroSamurai'', the hero is, literally, the only one allowed to defeat the main villain. In contrast, for the sake of multiple action sequences prior to the climactic battle, just about everyone and his uncle is allowed to challenge the hero. The reason: the main villain has the "Number 1 Headband", while the hero has the "Number 2 Headband". Only the Number Two can challenge the Number One, but anyone can challenge the Number Two.** Based on the final fight between [[spoiler:Justice and Afro]] it would seem in reality that the only one who should've been allowed challenge the Number 2 was [[spoiler:the Number 3, Number 10 being the one anyone and everyone could challenge. Given the other 8 headbands had been lost/collected by Justice and nobody knows about them, Afro]] is the one left dealing with the irritating hoards of wannabes.* Suzuhara Misaki in ''Anime/KidouTenshiAngelicLayer'' has Hatoko, and in the anime, Oujirou and Shuu have the same relationship.* ''Anime/StrainStrategicArmoredInfantry'': Sara and Lottie's initial roadblock to being TrueCompanions is that they both claim to be the only one that can or should defeat Ralph. Lottie eventually relinquishes her claim to Sara.* Tyson and Kai in ''Anime/{{Beyblade}}''. And Tyson and Ray. And Tyson and Max. And Tyson and Daichi. And...* Ichigo and Zaraki Kenpachi in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. Although, Ichigo wants nothing to do with that fight. Zaraki tends to want to go to the Human World whenever Ichigo's involved with anything there so he can fight him again. Though it's not so much that he wants to kill him, he just wants a sparring partner who can actually challenge him.** Later, Ichigo with Grimmjow, to the point where there is not one rematch, but ''two''. Also, Grimmjow gets inordinately pissed when he finds out other rival Ulquiorra's been going after "his prey."** Loly pulls out the stops for this one. She wants to kill Orihime twice, but when Orihime's threatened by Yammy, even though Loly clearly stands no chance, she calls on her released form to defend the human.* In ''Series/{{Kikaider}}'', Hakaider/Saburo's main objective is to destroy the titular android. He resolves the existential crisis of that being his only reason to exist by destroying any other MonsterOfTheWeek that comes close to killing Kikaider, while pushing him to his limits so he can get his money's worth out of his goal when the time comes.* Kyuzo embodies this trope with regards to Kambei in ''Anime/SamuraiSeven''.* Variant: ''Manga/{{Golgo 13}}'' makes a point of not allowing anyone else to kill his target when hired for an assassination. Not even themselves. When they die, it must be by his hand.* ''Manga/InuYasha'': When Sesshoumaru initially enters the story he doesn't seem to care who, if anyone, kills Inuyasha, as long as he gets possession of the sword that their father bequeathed to Inuyasha. As the plot goes on, however, his behaviour becomes much more complicated; it becomes increasingly common for him to aggressively enforce his claim on Inuyasha's life whenever a situation occurs that could involve Inuyasha losing his life to others. It becomes increasingly clear it's a face-saving excuse to step in whenever Inuyasha and even any of his friends are in trouble without Sesshoumaru having to admit that he's not [[IWasJustPassingThrough Just Passing Through]]. Eventually, even the excuses stop when, during a fight with the UltimateEvil, he openly admits he's protecting them all.* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Colonel Mustang invokes this trope after finally tracking down Envy, [[spoiler:Hughes's killer. The other characters leave him to it, but soon realize that [[HeWhoFightsMonsters he won't be coming back]] [[MoralEventHorizon from that path]], and come back to stop him]].** In [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]], Envy literally bases his entire existence on [[spoiler:killing his father/creator, Hohenheim]]. Then he throws a floor-destroying temper tantrum when he thinks [[spoiler:Dante]] beat him to it.* Rukawa and Sakuragi to Sendoh, and later Rukawa to [[spoiler: Sawakita]] in ''Manga/SlamDunk.''* The reason Van and Ray are opposed to each other in ''Anime/GunXSword'' is because both are determined to be the one who kills the Claw.* Papillon of ''Manga/BusouRenkin'' takes this to its logical conclusion, being so single-mindedly obsessed with ensuring that nothing and no-one else kills the protagonist Kazuki Mutou that he effectively ends up as one of the heroes' most valuable allies despite technically being a villain.* In ''[[Manga/RozenMaiden Rozen Maiden Träumend]]'', the first season's BigBad Suigintou gives an entire speech about how she will be the one to ultimately defeat Shinku [[spoiler:while taking a fatal barrage of crystal arrows, shielding Shinku from harm and dying in her arms]].* Pixy Misa in ''[[Anime/PrettySammy Magical Project S]]'' often talks about how she will be the one to defeat Pretty Sammy and nobody else.* Kyouko, the main character of the manga ''Manga/SkipBeat'', views her relationship with Shou in this way.* This is pretty much Aptom's raison d'etre in ''Manga/{{Guyver}}'', his sole goal in life is to defeat Sho in combat.* Until their promotion in ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}: Best Wishes'', the only reason that the Team Rocket trio continued to exist in the show was for the sole purpose of capturing Pikachu, giving it to their boss, and becoming ridiculously wealthy, according to their fantasies of how well their boss will reward them. They take serious exception to anyone ''else'' beating Pikachu, because if Pikachu can be beaten then where does that leave them?** Even in ''Best Wishes'' Team Rocket pulled one of their most badass {{Enemy Mine}}s to protect Pikachu from Team Plasma. Meowth in particular randomly became a fighting machine and took down half their army.** Also, if you think about the movies, Team Rocket often helps out Ash and company because, as Meowth put it in the dub of the third movie, "[[GenreSavvy If anything ever happened to you, we'd be out of show biz!]]"** In XY&Z the trio warn off Team Flare, declaring Ash and Co. as their prey and nobody else's. [[UnknownRival Team Flare is unimpressed.]]* Rather explicitly used in ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' with Vicious and Spike, with Vicious even telling Spike in the final episode: "I've told you before that I am the only one who can kill you." Unlike most examples of this trope though, Vicious never rescues Spike from any other opponents who might be able to off him. This line weirdly seems to imply Spike ''can't'' be killed by anyone else.* Atobe Keigo's attitude towards Tezuka Kunimitsu in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis''. In the manga it's more like the most prominent of several rivalries that Atobe has with several players (Sanada and Echizen are the other two), while the anime (and the fandom) exaggerates it to the point of almost stalkerish obsession.* ''Manga/TheLuciferAndBiscuitHammer'': "Princess" Sami is determined to save Earth from a mage bent on cracking it open with a gigantic hammer... so that ''she'' can destroy it herself!* In ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}!'', while Ladd Russo and Lua Klein are not rivals, Ladd does promise to be the one to kill her, and will let no one else do it.** He gives a similar response to [[TalkativeLoon Graham Spectre]], stating, "I like brazen, impudent guys that only I can kill." Graham may as well have [[HoYay taken it for a love confession]].* Yajirou towards The Jester in ''Anime/{{Grenadier}}'' after he finds out who he really is.* {{Hilari|tyEnsues}}ously {{subverted|Trope}} in ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}} ~After Story~'' episode 2, where Sunohara wrongly imagines himself and Tomoyo to be this:-->'''Youhei:''' "It's got nothing to do with you."-->'''Tomoyo:''' "Exactly. See you." (begins to walk away)-->'''Youhei:''' "No! You're supposed to say, 'I don't want to see you lose to anyone other than me.'"* In ''Anime/BattleBDaman'', AntiHero Enjyu is obsessed with defeating TheHero Yamato Delgato and ends up secretly helping the main gang because doing otherwise would let BigBad Marda-B defeat Yamato.* Yami from ''Manga/ToLoveRu'' acts this way towards Rito, to the point of saving his life repeatedly so that she can kill him. Of course, she's had dozens of opportunities to off him, but never actually ''does'', so it seems that the whole "only I can kill him" thing is just an act to justify saving him all the time.** Or it is because, as Yami justifies it, so that she can stay on Earth since she likes it there.* Hermit to Kenichi in ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple''.* ''Anime/KiddyGrade'': Un-ou to Éclair.* From ''Manga/LiarGame'', it appears that Yokoya is heading towards this path in regards to both Nao and Akiyama. At first, it seemed that he only wanted to crush Nao in an attempt to defeat Akiyama. But after the Pandemic Game, he's got his sights set on defeating Nao as well.* Suzaku is this to Zero (and, indeed, whoever he feels is "wrong") in ''Anime/CodeGeass'', though somewhat subverted in that he does not go out of his way to protect them from others who decide to take the opportunity. He will complain, but that's about it.** This is pretty much his role in [[spoiler: Zero Requiem]].* The jury is still out, but this may have been [[spoiler: Trafalgar Law]]'s motivation for saving Luffy in ''Manga/OnePiece'' due to him ''frequently'' denying considering Luffy a friend.** He says he considers Luffy a WorthyOpponent and thinks it would be "lame" for Luffy to die prematurely.* ''Manga/{{Monster}}'' subverts this in that Johan handpicks Tenma to be the one to kill ''him'', but it is also played straight in that he will not let anyone - the police, random Nazis, or sundry criminals - lay their hands on either Tenma or Nina without aid to the two and swift retribution to their enemies.* ''Anime/TheTowerOfDruaga'' blatantly uses this in its first episode (which is a [[AllJustADream dream sequence]]/wild parody of video game and anime tropes) with the Black Knight and a random innkeeper declaring this to the main character. Unfortunately, in the main character's dream world, this phrase (along with [[{{Retirony}} "When this is all done I plan to return to my homeland and get married."]]) is taboo, as both of them die seconds after saying it.* Chapter 290, as well as chapters 310+ of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' shows that Fate really just wants to fight and defeat Negi. [[FoeYay Above all else.]]** He takes it up a level in chapter 314, to the point of [[spoiler:attacking one of his "brothers" about to finish off one of Negi's students]].* A really weird inverted example in ''LightNovel/{{Corsair}}'', where [[ProfessionalKiller assassin-trained]] [[TheStrategist Kanare]] is only happy once he has [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial repeated assurances]] from his lover MasterSwordsman [[TheStoic Ayace]] that if he goes on a killing spree Ayace will kill him. [[SarcasmMode Uh-huh.]] [[LoveMakesYouDumb Suuuurrre.]]* Hayato and Kaga in ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'', as Kaga sees his rivalry with Hayato as this, In fact, he doesn't anyone else to be his rival, [[spoiler:and he even beats Hayato in his final race in ''SIN''.]]* In ''Manga/RiskySafety'', Risky decides to try and rescue a young girl from burning to death, and prior to that, yells at to not go into her father's burning workshop. Why? Because Risky's supposed to take her soul, and she can't do that if the girl dies by someone/something other than Risky herself. [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Or so she claims, anyway...]]* Both [[ZigZaggedTrope played straight and averted]] in ''Manga/BlackCat''. [[TheHero Train]] and Creed seem to have a mutual attitude along these lines, although neither of them actually go out of their way to help the other. Also, in volume four of the manga, an assassin appears who believes that killing is an art. After witnessing Train shoot '''bullets out of the air''', the assassin ignores his current target and leaves, before flat-out telling Train (paraphrased) "You'd better stay alive, so I can kill you myself." Averted, in that the character never makes another appearance.* ''Manga/MedakaBox'': Pretty much invoked word for word by all of Medaka's former enemies, including the Plus in support for her against [[spoiler: Kumagawa]].* ''Anime/VariableGeo'': Just as Yuka's on the cusp of being defeated by Jun, she recalls the oath she and [[ChildhoodFriends her best friend, Satomi]] made to each other: that they wouldn't allow themselves to lose to ''anyone'' [[FriendlyRivalry until they had the chance to face each other]] in the VG tournament. Which gives Yuka the impetus she needed to defeat Jun. * In ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', [[spoiler: Ryoko Asakura]] invokes this when [[spoiler: she protects Kyon from Kuyo Suou, calling him "her prey", and drives the point home by holding a knife at his throat while fighting]].* In ''LightNovel/FateZero'', after Saber and Lancer's duel was interrupted by the other Servants getting in on the action, Lancer developed a major case of this towards Saber, [[IWasJustPassingThrough even going blatantly out of his way to save her on numerous occasions.]] Given that, in said duel [[spoiler: she received an incurable wound that will only go away if she defeats him]], the feeling is probably mutual.* In chapter 213 of ''Manga/DGrayMan'' Kanda tells Link "If your mission is to assassinate bean sprout (Allen), I'll cut you down where you stand. I'm the one who'll kill him."* Sheila of ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' claims, repeatedly, that this is why she won't let anyone else kill Exa. She also claims she won't kill him herself because she's not done toying with him yet. (It becomes obvious pretty quickly that she just likes him too much to want him dead.)* Lyuze tells [[Anime/CasshernSins Casshern]] that "You're not allowed to die until I kill you." [[YouKilledMyFather She wants revenge for her sister]] and the world in general. [[spoiler: Eventually she has a different reason.]]* MutekiKanbanMusume: PlayedForLaughs ''Almost'' invoked word by word:-->'''UnknownRival:''' ''Onimaru Miki! How could you have a showdown with someone else without letting me know, nya? The one who will defeat you is me, Nishiyama Kanku-'' [[{{KilledMidSentence}} Knocked Out Mid Sentence]]* Somewhat inverted in ''Manga/DeathNote'' where [[VillainProtagonist Light]] [[SerialKiller Yagami]] seems to feel that [[SympatheticInspectorAntagonist L]] ought to be the only one allowed to defeat ''him'', and he's very bent out of shape when [[spoiler: [[AntagonistInMourning somebody else takes over]] and does it instead]]. This is also one fan explanation for why Light sees L [[spoiler: as he's dying]], though there are [[FoeYay other theories]]. * Played with in Manga/TheWallflower. Earlier in the manga Sunako states this to be her reason for saving Kyouhei from anyone who tries to hurt or kill him. As the series progresses however, it becomes a very obvious excuse.* In ''Manga/VinlandSaga'', main character Thorfinn has sworn a blood oath to kill his raider band's leader, Askeladd, for [[YouKilledMyFather killing his father]] and repeatedly (and irrationally) protects his own father's killer from harm in order to be able to kill him in a "fair" fight. It becomes a deconstructed trope as it's made clear that ten years with this attitude has more or less ruined Thorfinn's life and he wouldn't know what to do ''if'' he ever killed Askeladd, which he's unable to do anyway because Askeladd pretty taught him how to fight in the first place and can beat Thorfinn effortlessly every time he's challenged. Askeladd eventually calls Thorfinn out on his entire attitude and calls him an idiot. [[spoiler:He is stabbed fatally by Canute on the following day and Thorfinn finds himself unable to even give him a MercyKill, instead going into a HeroicBSOD and attacking Canute.]]* In ''LightNovel/TheDevilIsAPartTimer'', this is the default attitude of Emi Yusa, hero of Ente Isla, towards her arch nemesis, Satan, or Maou Sadao as he goes by on Earth. Unfortunately because neither one of them can use their magic for very long and Maou appears to be a regular human due to his lack of magic, to Earthlings she just comes off as a ClingyJealousGirl and StalkerWithACrush who hasn't gotten over her breakup with Maou.* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' and ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'':** Mikoto Misaka wants to beat Touma Kamiou in a fight, and is displeased when he runs away from common street thugs. She says that if he can beat her yet runs away from them, it will make her look bad as it implies she's weaker than the thugs.** Shizuri Mugino steps in and saves Shiage Hamazura from soldiers, as she wants revenge for him previously defeating her, and she feels the only way to restore her wounded pride is to kill him herself.* In ''LightNovel/DakaraBokuWaHGaDekinai'', Ilia gets pissed if anyone interferes with her rivalry with Lisara, as she feels a victory over her would be meaningless unless she defeats her herself.* In ''Manga/UshioAndTora'', the titular Tora, seemingly only biding his time before he can kill the protagonist, uses this reason for helping him (although taking the def out of defeat for his intentions).* In ''Manga/ZatchBell'' Sherry Belmont is rather insistent that no one but her defeat Zofis, which would send him back to the demon world. Since Zofis has brainwashed her best friend into being his evil, sadistic partner, it seems like a case of ItsPersonal. However, when she finally has him cornered, Sherry reveals her real motivation was she needed him to stick around until she could make him undo the brainwashing and return her friend to her original gentle self.* In ''Manga/Brave10'', this is [[TokenEvilTeammate Kamanosuke's]] reason to help Saizou and [[DefeatMeansFriendship join the Braves]]. He [[InLoveWithYourCarnage fell in love with Saizo's carnage]] when they first fought and wants to stick around so that he ([[CrazyJealousGuy and only he]]) can fight ToThePain with Saizo until Saizo kills him. [[OnlySaneMan Saizo]] neither understands, cares, nor appreciates this.* In ''Anime/DanganRonpa3'', this is why Sakakura hates Naegi so much. After GreaterScopeVillain Junko Enoshima [[spoiler:beat the shit out of him, used his unrequited feelings for Munakata to emotionally blackmail him into letting her off the hook, and destroyed the world, Sakakura had to live with the guilt of failing to stop her ever since]] and swore to be the one to kill her. However, Naegi defeating Enoshima in the Mutual Killing Game put a wrinkle in his plans, causing Sakakura to develop a grudge against him.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]* When Franchise/{{Superman}} was killed by Doomsday, ComicBook/LexLuthor (disguised as his own son; long story) starts attacking the corpse of Superman-killer Doomsday in a rage with a chair. The people present assume it's because he's angry at Superman's murderer. [[RightForTheWrongReasons He is, but not for the reasons they think]].** He reacted the same way (and for the same reason) when he thought the Silver Banshee had successfully killed Superman.** The film adaptation of the Doomsday storyline, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanDoomsday'', has a similar reaction from Lex. He's pretty ticked off that an "intergalactic soccer hooligan" robbed him of the chance to defeat Superman with some sort of brilliant EvilPlan. Of course, Lex was responsible for releasing said hooligan, but even then he can't take credit because Mercy Graves destroyed the evidence. [[spoiler:So he kills Mercy instead.]]** One more for the road: Early on in ComicBook/PostCrisis history, Superman's first battle with the Kryptonite-powered Metallo went badly for the Man of Steel. Just as the villain was about to finish him, Lex's agents arrived and took Metallo away. In ''Superman Villains Secret Files'', Lex explained the issue to his infant daughter with "Well, I couldn't allow a fool like Corben to enjoy the killing blow, could I?"* In Comicbook/DoctorStrange, Dormammu is so obsessed with destroying Strange himself that he practically gave up [[AGodAmI godhood]] just to fight him. What's more, he has fought Strange hand-to-hand, [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim rather than obliterating him with his superior power]] and subsequently lost. (Of course, Strange is enough of a GuileHero to exploit this weakness).* SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker extended this trope to Robin (Tim Drake) at the end of the mini-series Robin: Joker's Wild. After being defeated by Robin while Batman was out of town, Joker sat angrily in his cell at Arkham, warning the other inmates, "No one touches the boy, d'ya hear? He's mine!"** And of course, The Joker to Batman himself. He has, on numerous occasions, proclaimed that his only reason to live is to kill Batman and throws mad rages (or even completely snaps and turns ''sane'') when he thinks somebody else did the job. Furthermore, he proclaims the self-imposed parallel as well where all he wants is to drive Batman to the point where Batman will kill him, thus crossing the line.*** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lGTfK4PmPw Nobody kills the bat but me!!!]].** Before the ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot, Joker had taken it upon himself to kill anyone who tried to kill Batman; only he can kill Batman & only Batman can kill him. Nothing more romantic than double homicide & hate is just another kind of love.** ''Comicbook/DeathOfTheFamily'': Interestingly enough, Batman has taken this attitude towards Joker, and is even turning down the Batfamily's offers to assist him. This may come back to haunt Batman....** Batman used this trait as a BatmanGambit in ''Mad Love'' to save himself from Harley. ''Puddin'.''* Megatron uses this trope to his advantage in the ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'' comics. He knows full well that an Autobot would never kill him out of fear of what Optimus would do to them later for destroying Megatron before he got the chance. They're even afraid to tell Optimus that Megatron MIGHT be dead. For those unfamiliar with ''[[ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]'', it's a universe where the Autobots are evil conquerors and the Decepticons are heroic freedom fighters.* This is something of an inversion of their relationship in the {{Creator/Marvel|Comics}} ''[[Comicbook/TheTransformers Generation 1]]'' comic. In a story by Bob Budiansky, Optimus and Megatron agree to settle their differences by video game tournament, and Megatron wins (by cheating). Thus, the ref blows up Optimus, and so Megatron slides into depression and insanity due to not being the one that struck the fatal blow. In fact, he is so obsessed over the matter, that when Brawl tries to console him, Megatron crushes his head; and when Brawl, the most AxCrazy of the Combaticons, is trying to be the voice of reason, you know Megs has gone over the edge.** Megatron in ''Regeneration One''[[note]]the IDW series that continues the original Marvel continuity, splintering from both the ''Generation 2'' and ''Classics'' stories[[/note]] is determined to get Optimus this way, even if [[TakingYouWithMe he has to die himself]]. He even taunts Prime with [[ApocalypseHow what he's done to Earth]] in the two decades it's been since the Autobots went back to Cybertron.* {{ComicBook/Daken}} has this with his [[{{Wolverine}} father]]; he fought {{Deadpool}} when it seemed he was about to kill Logan. Of course Wolverine set the whole thing up.-->'''Daken''': He's my father. And I'm going to kill him for it, not you.-->'''Deadpool''': [[AmbiguousSyntax So you're not going to kill me? Awesome!]]* [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Skaar]] has this for his father the Hulk and it's why he protects Banner while he waits for the Hulk's return. Granted, Skaar isn't a bad guy (He's mainly angry because he thinks he abandoned him) and Banner is training him for when the Hulk returns.** The Leader has this for the Hulk as well. He even got a bit depressed when he found out [[PlanetHulk Hulk was shot into space.]]* BettyAndVeronica would ''clearly'' rather Franchise/{{Archie|Comics}} choose the other, rather than [[ThirdOptionLoveInterest Cheryl Blossom]].* Doctor Doom is perfectly willing to save the Comicbook/FantasticFour from certain death at the hands of anyone else, just so that he can kill them himself later. However, he only gets involved if [[ArchEnemy Reed Richards]] is with them — if only the other three are in danger, he couldn't care less.** During the Onslaught storyline, Doom was at his embassy in New York City, and dispassionately listening to reports of the devastation Onslaught was inflicting on the city. It was pretty obvious he had no stake in the fight and was planning on staying out of it...until one of his people informed him that Onslaught had kidnapped Reed Richards' son Franklin. Saying that Doom was seriously pissed off is an understatement. "This mutant upstart ''dares'' to kidnap the son of my greatest enemy? It's apparent this Onslaught individual is going to require my personal attention!"** In a storyline where the original Fantastic Four were killed and their positions taken up by Spiderman, Wolverine, Hulk and Ghost Rider, Doom stepped in and killed the enemies threatening them, saying "None may defeat the Fantastic Four... save Doom." Evidently being stand-ins count.* This is Dr. Eggman's attitude toward Sonic in ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog''. In the 2010 Free Comic Book Day issue, one of the badniks created by the original Eggman/Robotnik is about to kill Sonic...and he proceeds to destroy it so it wouldn't "ruin his time-table", much to [[TheStarscream Snively's]] ''immense'' frustration.* In the ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures'' remake of the ''ComicBook/IronMan'' storyline, "Armor Wars", Doctor Doom appears halfway through [[ActuallyADoombot as a Doombot]], allowing Tony to use the armor to aid in his quest to recover his armor. At the end of the story, Tony talks to Doom, revealing that he wasn't going to let some "stale, Cold War leftovers" kill Tony when he would be the one to do so.* Averted with tragicomic consequences in an issue of ''ComicBook/WhatIf'' where ThePunisher succeeded in killing SpiderMan during their first meeting. His various villains throw a party and invite the Punisher as the guest of honor. Unfortunately for them, they've misunderstood Frank's motives, and he takes the chance to mow them all down.** Also, Frank had been duped into thinking Spider-Man was a villain. After Spider-Man was dead, he had a ''WhatHaveIDone'' moment when he slowly realized Spider-Man was actually a hero. What drove it home was a bunch of Spider-Man's enemies throwing a party for him and seeing what a bunch of psychotic lunatics they were, while all of Spider-Man's friends (i.e. ''practically every superhero alive'') tracked him down and beat the crap out of him. Hell, the Fantastic Four was so pissed each one of them came after Frank ''individually.'' Part of the trigger for Frank's rampage killing of all the villains was his own rage at himself.* [[Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} Aquaman's]] archenemy Black Manta is psychotically obsessed with killing Aquaman for [[MultipleChoicePast some reason or another]] (originally his motives changed often and were suggested to simply be made up to justify his obsession, but the ''Comicbook/{{New 52}}'' retconned it into him wanting revenge for his [[YouKilledMyFather father's accidental death at Aquaman's hands]]). This goal is the only thing that Black Manta lives for and when Manta thinks Aquaman is dead in ''Comicbook/ForeverEvil'', he vows revenge against the people who claim to have killed him, the Crime Syndicate. -->'''Black Manta''': The Syndicate killed Aquaman. They took the only thing I wanted from me. So I'm going to take everything from ''them''.* In one run of ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'', Frank is seemingly executed in an electric chair, only to have his death faked by a mafia family who have their own plans for him. Frank's arch nemesis Jigsaw dresses up like him and goes around killing anyone who had anything to do with the sentence. When he finds out that Frank's alive, he's initially overjoyed. Then he realizes that he killed all those people for no reason, and rages at Frank for making a fool out of him.* Both of [[Franchise/SpiderMan Spider-Man's]] archenemies, Green Goblin and Venom, believe this about Spider-Man. Venom in particular, as he blames Spider-Man for ruining his life (it wasn't Spidey's fault, but [[NeverMyFault Venom would never admit that]]). Whenever he teams up with other villains he always betrays them, as he doesn't want them finishing off Spidey before he can; this actually led to the defeat of the Sinister Six on the one occasion they let him join. Surprisingly, the two have never met and clashed over this conflicting goal, though Green Goblin ''was'' "[[ComicBookDeath dead]]" during Venom's period of ascendancy as the premier Spidey villain.* Something like this happens in ''Comicbook/{{Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe}}'', when Comicbook/{{The Incredible Hulk}} rips Comicbook/{{Deadpool}} apart.-->'''Hulk:''' YOU KILL HULK'S FRIENDS! YOU KILL HULK'S ENEMIES! ONLY HULK GETS TO KILL HULK'S ENEMIES![[/folder]]

[[folder: Fan Works]]* ''FanFic/QueenOfAllOni'': When Ikazuki selects Tohru as his new host, Jade lashes out at him, since she views Tohru as her ArchEnemy and doesn't want anyone else to harm him. Unfortunately for her, Ikazsuki is more powerful and forces her to do things his way.* Dr. Brainstorm takes this attitude towards Calvin in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries''.* ''FanFic/JewelOfDarkness'': Midnight finishes off an EldritchAbomination that the Titans were fighting, telling them that she'll only let them be destroyed when she decides.** Subverted by Slade when the Titans are captured by Mad Mod during the second arc -- he states that whether or not the Titans succumb to Mod's brainwashing, it doesn't affect his plans, so he doesn't care.* Firefly from ''Fanfic/AceCombatTheEquestrianWar'' won't let anypony else, but herself take Black Star down. This is because [[spoiler: she promised herself to avenge her parents by defeating their murderer]].* A rare heroic variant occurs in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' based ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2742870/1/One-Last-Smash One Last Smash]]''. In it, the Nintendo Universe is protected by the characters from the first two games. Eventually, someone starts murdering all of their enemies. While most of them are unsettled by this, Donkey Kong is outraged that someone killed K. Rool and his army, feeling that he was denied a final confrontation.-->'''Donkey Kong:''' Gonna smash guy who smash K. Rool without tellin' Donkey.* ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'': While [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Trixie]] apparently took on the case's prosecution [[RevengeByProxy to settle a score with Twilight]], as the case unravels she starts getting personal with the defense, [[Franchise/AceAttorney Phoenix]]. Eventually, when a witness gets too aggressive with him:-->'''Trixie:''' Leave him alone! You're the one who's dead meat if you lie again!-->'''Phoenix:''' ''[[FirstPersonSmartass (How cute, she's sticking up for me.)]]''-->'''Trixie:''' Besides, Mr. Wrong is Trixie's! He shall feel the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie's wrath before this trial is over!-->'''Phoenix:''' ''(Or not...)''* In ''Fanfic/SubstituteHarmony'', after Pinkie Pie is falsely implicated for the disappearances of her friends, Trixie shows up and wants to kill her... because she wanted to defeat Twilight Sparkle first. Gilda shows up for similar reasons, as (she believes) Pinkie has robbed her of her last chance to patch things up with Dash.* In ''FanFic/MegaManReawakened'', Bass is this to Megaman.** Crash Man also tries to be this, which ends up taking out some of his fellow robots.* In ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', [=ProtoMan=] is like this towards Mega for a good while.** [[spoiler:Bass]] is also this to a much more frightening degree.* In ''FanFic/MegaManRecut'', Proto Man is slowly becoming this towards Mega Man.* In ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'', Android 16's BerserkButton is pressed when Cell claims he'll be the one to kill Son Goku.* ''Fanfic/FriendshipIsMagicalGirls'': When [[TheDragon Eskarrg]] recruits the Infestation to serve as his {{Mooks}} during the Loyalty Arc, he makes it clear to them that he won't allow anyone but himself to fight Spike.** Trixie also has this towards the mahoushojou, twice pulling off a VillainousRescue to save them from other villains, because she doesn't want anyone else to rob her of the privilege of defeating them.* A [[ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girls]] story, "My Buttercup Runneth Over," has Blossom and Bubbles trying to bring Buttercup out of a depressive funk by getting the Amoeba Boys to put them in a dire strait so she'll come to the rescue. When Mojo Jojo and Him see Blossom and Bubbles being imperiled by the witless Amoebas, they arrive and begin fighting with each other over who should be the one to defeat the girls.* In ''Fanfic/TheNewAdventuresOfInvaderZim'', Zim makes it clear to [[TheDragon Norlock]] that he won't let anyone else kill Dib but him. He later extends this to Tak as well.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]* In ''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest'', Harmonica is the only one allowed to defeat Frank. [[spoiler:When several of Frank's own men are paid to kill him (Frank), Harmonica shoots one of them. When he is accused of saving Frank's life, he defends his actions with, "I didn't let them kill him, and that's not the same thing."]]* In ''Film/ThePurge'' during the assault on the Sandin family, the family's neighbours enter the house and dispatch their attackers, saving them from violent deaths. [[spoiler: However they then reveal that the only reason they intervened was so that they could kill the Sandins themselves as their own Purge targets.]] * In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', just after Batman has [[SaveTheVillain saved the Joker]].** Earlier on, Joker had also prevented Coleman Reese from revealing Batman's identity (claiming he didn't want Reese "spoiling everything") by issuing his infamous "Either Reese dies or I blow up a hospital" challenge.* ''Film/TheNeverendingStory'' inverts it: G'mork, the servant of the Nothing, claims that Atreyu is the only one who can defeat ''him''. [[spoiler: Saying that wasn't a smart move, because it gives Atreyu the HeroicResolve to kill him.]]* In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', [[spoiler:as Weapon XI is about to decapitate Logan, he is tackled away by Victor Creed. "Nobody kills you but me!"]]* In the aftermath of the climatic battle at the end of ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'', [[spoiler:Bill the Butcher is mortally wounded by shrapnel from a random cannon blast. Amsterdam is furious that he wasn't able to kill Bill himself and properly avenge his father.]]* In ''Film/EnemyAtTheGates'', the Nazi [[ColdSniper sniper]] tells one of the characters, "He isn't dead. Do you know how I know that? Because I haven't killed him yet." It should be mentioned that the line is rendered extra-creepy by the fact that it's Ed frickin' Harris.* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': [[spoiler:Megatron blasts [[FaceHeelTurn Sentinel]] [[FallenHero Prime]] just when he's about to finish off Optimus]].* ''Film/MadMax2TheRoadWarrior''. Wez decides Max is his target. "No, no, he's ''mine''."* Luke and Vader in ''Franchise/StarWars''. Yoda even says "You must confront Vader."** An interesting example occurs earlier in ''Film/ANewHope'' when Vader senses his old master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, is aboard the Death Star. When Tarkin suggests they make moves to prevent his escape Vader informs him that "Escape is not his plan" and that he must [[LeaveHimToMe face him alone]]. Vader believes his master has come to confront him and desires to finally defeat him. Kenobi is not only aware Vader will come to face him, but is ''counting'' on it to ensure Luke escapes whilst Darth Vader's attentions are elsewhere.* In ''Circus'', protagonist Leo incurs the wrath of [[ScaryBlackMan Moose]], who wrongly accuses Leo of murdering his mistress, as well as a pair of {{Loan Shark}}s that he owes a serious debt to. This leads to a scene where Leo is being threatened by the Sharks, Moose arrives and beats them up... then announces his intention to kill Leo and chases him down the street. The scene ends with Troy, one of the sharks, recovering from the attack:-->'''Troy:''' "He can't bloody kill him... I'm gonna be the one to kill him!"* The movie ''Film/{{Bullitt}}'' has this going on between Tupac's character and Micky Rourke's character.* In the HBO film ''Gotti'', it's suggested that the Feds actually helped John Gotti avoid getting killed by enemy families, just so they could bring him down themselves.* A more reasonable example occurs in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}''. Silva's actual grudge is against M, and he tells his men that only he can kill her. He doesn't care who kills Bond. [[spoiler:When he sees that M has already been mortally wounded, he practically breaks down.]]* A curious subversion in ''Film/TheHobbit''. Azog the Defiler has no problem having one of his underlings collect [[spoiler: Thorin's]] head. Presumably he thought he was already dead.* Played with in ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'' when [[spoiler:the Lord Marshal uses every means at his disposal to try and kill Riddick, before deciding to fight him personally. It's a DoubleSubversion. In the backstory, he heard a prophecy that a Furyan could kill him, so he slaughtered pretty much the entire planet.]]* Blink and you'll miss it in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd''- Davy Jones bodily shields Ian Mercer from cannon fire moments before slowly and gruesomely tentacling him to death. [[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* Literature/TheIliad - In an early occurrence of the trope, Achilles orders the other Myrmidons not to attack Hector, so that he alone may have the satisfaction of killing his foe and avenging Patroclus. This is jarringly inverted in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida in which Achilles does the opposite: actively ordering his men to slaughter Hector for him. * Literature/HarryPotter - A prophecy made before Harry was born foretold his rivalry with Voldemort, and that one of them will end up killing the other. The exact terms could have referred to someone else ([[spoiler:Neville]]) born the same month, but Voldemort chose to go after Harry first - and created a SelfFulfillingProphecy thanks to Lily's sacrifice. Years later, Voldemort remains obsessed with killing Harry personally.** Subverted when Harry returns to Hogwarts in ''Deathly Hallows'' when he invokes something like this - Neville points out that while Harry was off chasing Horcruxes, he'd been fairly effectively leading the resistance in his absence and Luna points out that she'd worked out how to find the penultimate Horcrux before Harry (or even Hermione) had.* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', Black Sister Elza Penfell destroys one of her superiors (though she is unaware that he is her superior because he is in disguise) who is trying to kill Rand al'Thor, because she believes Rand must stay alive long enough to face (and be destroyed by) the [[BigBad Dark One]].** [[FourStarBadass Demandred]] and [[WildCard Padan Fain]] also have this attitude about Rand. [[spoiler: None of the three succeed; the Dark One is defeated and resealed by Rand, and Demandred and Fain get taken out by other people before having a chance to face him]]. * In one of the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' novels, Phelan Kell gives a speech that typifies this trope: "I saved him because if Vlad is going to die, it will be at my hands."* Sandor Clegane in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' gets particularly irritated when anyone apart from him expresses an interest in killing [[CainAndAbel his brother]], the pathologically nasty Gregor Clegane, who permanently disfigured Sandor in his youth. As Littlefinger explains to Ned, "Gregor was ''his'' to loathe, not yours to kill."* In ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'', all the heirs of Stormhold are trying to kill each other and this is right and proper. But when an outsider kills one, the victim's ghost demands his remaining brother avenge him. The brother immediately sets out to do so. [[spoiler:And gets killed in the process.]]* Inverted: In Charles Stross' ''[[Literature/TheLaundrySeries The Jennifer Morgue]]'' [[spoiler: a villain sets up a geas making him vulnerable to only one hero, one who suffers under the handicap of being (in the novel's universe) fictional]].* In Creator/DanAbnett's ''Literature/GauntsGhosts'' short story "In Remembrance", Rawne tells the unconscious Gaunt that he can't die, because Rawne wants to be the one to kill him.** Also, in Ghostmaker, Rawne and Gaunt team up to survive the blizzard and the Ork assault. Despite Rawne hating Gaunt's guts, he helps Gaunt and himself partly for this reason. (The other part was IOweYouMyLife [[HonorBeforeReason Whether I Like It Or Not]].)* In Creator/GregRucka's second ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' novel, the Big Bag does this in concern to Joanna Dark, the hero. Joanna points out that she herself is ill, mainly because of a barely-healed gunshot wound to the stomach. The Big Bad pulls a gun, reverses and blam. Now both have a gunshot wound to the stomach. Now nobody can say the fight was unequal.* Agrus Kos from the Ravnica Block ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' novels is an unlucky police officer chosen by the Guild-master of the hidden guild Dimir to be the only one who can defeat him, by making him the only one who can defeat him, which would nullify the guildpact, essentially making him a Quantum Immortal... until Agrus finds YET ANOTHER LOOPHOLE and instead of killing him, merely arrests him.* In the epic ''Literature/{{Mahabharata}}'', Karna after TheReveal vows to his mother that either he will kill his half-sibling and eternal rival, Arjuna or he would be killed by him. For Karna, Arjuna is the only one allowed to defeat him.* Happens all the time between Canim and Alerans in ''Literature/CodexAlera''. In Canim culture, a respected enemy is considered more valuable than a friend. Many times in the fourth and fifth books, if certain situations were taking place entirely between humans or even if the roles of humans and Canim were reversed, characters would justify their actions to rivals or authority figures by calling an Aleran a friend or ally who needs their help. Since they're Canim or talking to Canim, though, they go to great lengths to make it clear that they don't like helping the Aleran, but neither another rival nor the BigBad can be allowed to kill them, so...** Another interesting aspect of the concept of ''gadara'' (sort of a combination of this trope, WorthyOpponent and FriendlyEnemy) is that once you have declared that you are the only one who is allowed to defeat someone, you have to defend your claim on your ''gadara'''s life from any other, less friendly enemies your ''gadara'' might have.* ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'''s Marlfoxes are a BigScrewedUpFamily with no problems killing each other off at the drop of a hat. However, they have a strict "blood for blood" rule if an outsider kills one of them, and they will enthusiastically enforce this rule.* When the Phoners in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Cell}}'' tell you not to touch one of their enemies, they mean that if you kill one of them, they'll make an example of you.* Exploited in ''Literature/{{Pact}}'', during Blake Thorburn's fight with [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Conquest]], when Blake is near-fatally injured at the hands of a third party. Knowing that what Conquest wants more than anything is the victory of truly defeating him, and that killing him at this point would be more of a MercyKill instead of a victory, Blake successfully bargains for three days for himself and his allies to rest and recover, at which point Conquest can say that killing Blake was ''his'' doing. * In ''Literature/TheTraitorSonCycle'', Gavin is hell-bent on being the one to slay Jean de Vrailly, doing his hardest to replace the Red Knight in the duel where the two are supposed to duke it out. [[spoiler:Gabriel still ends up killing de Vrailly, leaving Gavin furious.]][[/folder]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]* The Master from ''Series/DoctorWho'', despite often trying to kill the Doctor, agrees to try and save his life in "The Five Doctors", because (in his words) "the cosmos without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about."** This is actually a recurring trait with them. During Trial of the Time Lord, the Master actually flat out says he'll help defeat the Valeyard because he wanted to defeat the Doctor himself. Even in the End of Time, the Master, sacrifices himself to save the Doctor from the Time Lords. Add in the epic amounts of ''FoeYay'' between these two, and it might just be that all the Master wants is to "keep" the Doctor all for himself, which he actually does in Sound of the Drums/Last of the Time Lords!* This causes the title character in ''Series/{{Dexter}}'' to [[spoiler: save the Trinity Killer's life]] which comes back to bite him hard in the end.* ''Series/{{Angel}}'':** Inversion: [[spoiler:Lindsey]] seemed to think that Angel had to be the one to kill him, as his last words, after [[spoiler:being shot by Lorne]], were "You kill me? A flunky?! I'm not just...Angel...kills me. You don't... Angel..."*** This is a common Creator/JossWhedon technique: a character may ''think'' that only one person is able to defeat them, but Joss delights in pointing out that unless they're supernaturally powerful (and sometimes not even then), they die just the same from one gun as another.** The reason Connor defended Angel from Linwood's commandos in "Tomorrow".* In ''Series/KamenRiderBlack'' villain Birugenia decides that he will be the one to defeat Kamen Rider and constantly gets in the way of his allies plans when it seems possible they might actually defeat Kamen Rider.** In ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'', Kaito refers to this trope by name in the last episode, expressing his feelings towards Tsukasa's decision to go and fight Apollo Geist, and something [[HoYay a little more]] [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation if you see him as such]].* Damon of the series ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' has this attitude toward Stefan in the show. He saved Stefan's life because he didn't want anyone else to have the pleasure of killing him.** Given the arc of their relationship over the course of the series, it seems this was really an excuse; he actually didn't want his little brother dead, but was keeping up the "I hate you so much" schtick.* The intellectually vain Detective [=McNulty=] of ''Series/TheWire'' has this attitude towards Stringer Bell, his WorthyOpponent on the other side of the law, to the point where [[spoiler:he's all but brokenhearted when Stringer is killed by rival gangsters before he can bring him down.]]* A version of this shows up in the ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode "The Coming Of Shadows", in which G'Kar was about to assassinate the Centauri Emperor at a reception, but was interrupted when the Emperor keeled over from illness. He later complains about this to his contact back home, and hopes that the Emperor will recover so that he'll have an opportunity to try again later.** Another version comes from Londo stating early on that, due a prophetic dream, he ''knows'' that [[spoiler: he and G'Kar will strangle each other to death]]. In a moment of rage Londo tries and defy that by [[spoiler: grabbing a gun to murder G'Kar]], and later [[spoiler: G'Kar tries and kill Londo by not saving both of their lives in a dangerous situation]], but both times external factors make sure the prophecy will come to pass.* There's an episode of ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'' where Ray ends up in a rivalry against Peggy, the obnoxious den mother of the Girl Scouts Expy that Ray's daughter is a member of (to elaborate, Peggy has a reputation for bullying the other scouts' parents in order to get choice spots to sell cookies, thus guaranteeing that she herself will win the top prizes). Ray is apparently the first parent to actually try to stand up to her, and she reacts by trying to pull his sales table away from him in public and push him onto the ground. Ray's wife Debra shows up and tells Peggy to back off. At first one is inclined to think that Debra, who usually bullies and abuses Ray a lot herself, is going to finally redeem herself...but then as soon as Peggy is out of sight, Debra goes back to bullying Ray. Apparently, she didn't really object to Ray being bullied (indeed, in later episodes such as "A Date for Peter", she uses the events of this episode to make fun of him in public)...she merely objected to ''someone else'' bullying him, because she apparently views him as being her property (emphasized when she tells Peggy "if you've got a problem, you bring it up with me" as if Ray isn't his own person, and is merely just one of Debra's possessions).* In ''Series/StargateAtlantis,'' Ronon wants to be the one to defeat a Wraith bruiser, telling Sheppard that he'd kill him if Sheppard killed the Wraith before Ronon. [[spoiler:The Wraith beats the living crap out of Ronon until Rodney and Carson hit him with a missile. They're both profoundly apprehensive about it...until Ronon gives Carson a big hug and thanks him instead.]]* In ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'' the Psycho Rangers had this attitude towards the real Rangers, which is no surprise, seeing as each one was programmed to defeat his or her counterpart. It was, in fact their greatest weakness in more ways than one; the hate that each of them showed towards their counterpart kept them from cooperating with each other at all (as opposed to the true Rangers, who were very good at doing so), and they were so obsessed with defeating the Rangers that when Astronama truly had them at their mercy by turning them all into computer chips, they ruined her plan by turning them back to normal simply so they could fight them. [[spoiler: Most of them eventually failed, but Psycho Pink actually seemed to succeed in killing one of the Pink Rangers in ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy''; she turned up alive in the series finale, but it was still a victory.)]]* In ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' Deker has this attitude towards the Red Ranger Jayden, considering him to be the ideal opponent in the Ultimate Duel therefore he even goes as far as reviving Jayden from poisoning to make sure he is fit enough for a fight between them. He even [[LampShade lampshades]] it to Jayden at one point.-->'''Deker:''' Saving you has become an increasingly annoying habit. Though, it is one I intend to sub break.* In an interview with William Campbell, the actor who played the Klingon Koloth in the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "The Trouble with Tribbles", Campbell revealed that the original plan was to make Koloth a recurring villain, sort of the Klingons' opposite number to Kirk. He saw Koloth as someone who respected Kirk as an adversary, and would even protect Kirk from other assailants on occasion, explaining that "No one can kill you but me."* Lucifer has this view about Michael in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''. Going so far as to [[spoiler:blow up Castiel for throwing a Molotov Cocktail of holy fire.]]* This is Patrick Jane's attitude about Red John in ''Series/TheMentalist'', but not to the point of helping him out of other scrapes.** The feeling is mutual, and Red John ''is'' willing to extend his own efforts to protect Patrick from those less worthy.* ''Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand'': Crixus expressed this sentiment towards Spartacus during and after the Segovax incident.* In ''Series/{{Castle}}'', a conversation between Beckett and Senator Bracken, the man who, years earlier, hired a hitman to kill her mother, upon being forced to defend the man against an unknown sniper: -->'''Bracken''' A shooter... on the loose... me in the crosshairs... must be a dream come true for you. -->'''Beckett''' In my dreams, I'm the one who gets to pull the trigger. * Zamusha, an Alien Swordsman in ''Series/UltramanMebius'' came to Earth solely to fight Tsurugi (semi-formerly, Ultraman Hikari) despite having endangered the planet while fighting two rogues. After being beaten by Mebius and Tsurugi in battle, Zamusha vowes to carrying out his plan to kill Mebius and Hikari someday. Towards the series finale, Zamusha returns to save GUYS from a rogue [[EliteMooks Imperializer]] ([[spoiler:and latter [[BiggerBad Alien Emperor]],]]) from killing them simply because [[HeroicBSOD a weakened Mirai]] was amongst them.* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'':** In "Identity", China White is glad to see that the Arrow didn't die in [[spoiler: the earthquake]] at the end of Season 1, as it would have deprived her of the chance to kill him herself.** [[spoiler: [[TheManBehindTheMan Slade]]]] enforces this throughout Season 2. He warns Brother Blood not to go after Arrow yet, so that when the time is right, ''he'' can be the one to finish him, after [[RevengeByProxy destroying everything he cares about]].* The Doctor from ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' is obsessed with getting his revenge on [[spoiler: Whitehall]] for killing his wife. When [[spoiler: Coulson]] kills him just as the Doctor is about to begin their fight, the Doctor has a VillainousBreakdown and shifts all of his anger to [[spoiler: Coulson]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]* ''{{Garfield}}'' likes to stomp spiders and hates when [[http://www.garfield.com/comics/vault.html?yr=1994&addr=940419 Jon beats him to it]]. [[http://www.garfield.com/comics/vault.html?yr=2008&addr=080203 However, when Liz did it]], he told Jon to marry her.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]* Alexander and Zetta in ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom'' -- although it's mainly one-sided, because Zetta doesn't take 'Alex' [[UnknownRival very seriously]].* Jin Uzuki and Margulis in the ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' games.** Also, Jr. and Albedo - this is stated explicitly in the second game* Bass is actually a playable character in a few ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' games because he doesn't want any of Wily's other robots to kill Mega Man before him (and because he sees their creation as an insult to him).* Inversion from the ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series: Clive, Kelley, and Elza started as TwoGuysAndAGirl being raised by a group of assassins. The story ends pretty much like you'd expect: Elza, TheChick, on the run from Clive after being framed for Kelley's murder. What makes this different: she secretly ''wants'' to be caught, making this a case of "You're The Only One Allowed to Defeat ''Me''". (Naming all the times the trope was played straight in the series could very well overtake the page. The biggest example being Pesmerga and Yuber, who have apparently been bitter enemies for centuries.)* Scorpion wants to kill Sub-Zero in ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', to pay him back for killing him (as illustrated in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero''). At the end of [[VideoGame/MortalKombat the first game]], he succeeds. Then after discovering that Sub-Zero had a younger brother, Scorpion then subverted this to some extent by vowing to be the younger Sub-Zero's guardian as an act of penance for killing his brother. Quan-Chi then reverts it back to normal for ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'' and ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse MK vs. DC]]'' by convincing Scorpion that this Sub-Zero was responsible for the death of his clan and family. However, by the 5th game, Scorpion learns the truth and the two end up having another truce.** The central conflict in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' stems from Raiden receiving a vague message from his future self - "He must win!" - and constantly misinterpreting it in this fashion. First, he stops Sonya from fighting Shang Tsung, prompting Sonya to fight him instead. Then he tells TheChosenOne Liu Kang he must defeat Shang Tsung. This doesn't solve anything. Then he thinks Kung Lao is the real Chosen One who should fight Shao Kahn. [[spoiler:This gets Kung Lao killed.]] Then Liu Kang steps up again and beats Shao Kahn, and this ''still'' doesn't solve anything. By the time Raiden realises that his future self really meant [[spoiler:Shao Kahn must win so the Elder Gods will destroy him for violating the rules of Mortal Kombat]], Earthrealm is in chaos, [[spoiler:nearly all of the heroes have been killed]] and Liu Kang [[spoiler:is so disillusioned by Raiden that they fight and Raiden accidently kills him]].

* In ''VideoGame/StarFox'', TheRival Wolf acts this way towards Fox. The games thus far have never really provided a reason for this though, and the more recent games used it more as an excuse for EnemyMine situations (involving Wolf saving Fox so that he can "tan his hide" after the big threat has been dealt with). They still clash in every game for no real reason other than this, of course. Maybe he's just a sore loser.** ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' explains this a little better. Because they flew under Andross's colors in other games, Wolf and his teammates have had a bounty placed on their heads by Corneria. And since Starfox used to do mercenary work for the Cornerian army, Wolf can't really be blamed for being a little bit defensive whenever Fox and his team shows up, even if they 'should' be working together against the Big Bad. This doesn't make it any less corny when the big EnemyMine moment actually happens.* Heather in ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'', when [[spoiler:Claudia eats the baby God fetus, and proceeds to give birth to it (seriously, how does that work?). Shortly afterwards, the God presumably killed Claudia, as she was pulled down the hole at over 300 mph. Heather then proceeds to state, "No! You can't die! I wanted to kill you!"]]* A variant of this is used in two of the Mario games. In ''VideoGame/{{Super Mario RPG}}'', if Mario tries to leave Marrymore through the alternate exit after saving Peach and says no to everyone, Bowser will eventually come out and say "No one, NO ONE, is authorized to kidnap the Princess except ME! [[{{Engrish}} It's just wouldn't be right!]]" In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', upon finding out that Peach was kidnapped by the X-Nauts, he says practically the same thing, going as far to say it's a rule against it.** In ''[[VideoGame/ItadakiStreet Fortune Street]]'', he angrily tells a victorious player that Mario's the only one who's supposed to beat him. He then backpedals and says that no one's supposed to beat him at all.** The ending of Mario Super Sluggers shows Wario and Waluigi putting a Bullet Bill in a fireworks cannon aimed at Mario. Bowser then leaps in and hits the Bullet Bill with his baseball bat saving Mario in the process. * In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Liquid was the only one allowed to kill his father, but Snake had already killed the old man twice. This makes Liquid seriously pissed, and he takes up his father's mantle of destroying the world to prove himself better than his father once and for all. And to kill Snake in revenge. Those two goals go hand in hand.** Ocelot and Naked Snake in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater''. Especially noticeable when Snake chose to jump off the waterfall rather than get shot by Ocelot. A ''SlowMotionFall'' scene occurred, while Ocelot ran in slow motion towards Snake while calling his name. Right after, Ocelot whispered, "Don't die on me yet." Subverted:[[spoiler: TheStinger reveals that Ocelot was Snake's contact ADAM all along, and most of the times he spared or arranged for Snake's life to be spared, he was fufilling his mission.]]*** Yeah. He got over that fast. Especially since he ends up joining Big Boss [[spoiler:after Major Zero brings them all together]] and in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' Big Momma says that [[spoiler: Ocelot was fighting for Big Boss.]] Kind of a HeelFaceTurn right there. From wanting to kill him to following him around.** Also inverted in the case of Vamp in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'': After Raiden and Vamp's duel in Act 2, to which Vamp was impaled by Raiden, Vamp asks with ecstasy "Could you be the one to finally ''finish'' me?"* Regulus takes this to the extreme in ''VideoGame/Bomberman64TheSecondAttack'' by saving the hero from another enemy's last resort attack. Immediately after that he killed said enemy, despite the fact that she was his own ally, claiming that killing Bomberman was a pleasure he reserved for himself long ago. Right before finishing her off he adds [[LaserGuidedKarma "Oh, and make sure you apologize to Molok, will you?"]]* In the first ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'', the wife of OdaNobunaga cites this as the reason for being at his side (historically, there had been suspicions that she was married to Nobunaga so she'd assassinate him), but in both of her endings she seems to have more or less given up on the idea of actually killing him (except to threaten it every once in a while halfheartedly as a very kinky form of foreplay). In later games she's pretty much head over heels in love with him from the get go, though still very much a sadist.* The rivalry between Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' is this from Iori's point of view. As the latter says in the final episode of ''Anime/TheKingOfFightersAnotherDay'':--> You'd better stay alive until the day I'll kill you.* In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' [[spoiler:Zengar's Grungust Type-3 has just been pretty well demolished by one of the Inspectors, when who should show up but Wodan Ymir, Zengar's doppelganger from a different dimension. Everyone thinks he's here to finish Zengar off...and instead he attacks the Inspector. A few minutes later, when Zengar gets into the Daizengar, only to find none of its weapons work, Wodan once again makes the save by throwing him the Type-3 Zankantou. His whole reason for doing this, as he points out, is that ''he'' will be the one to defeat Zengar, so that he can stop being one of the Shadow Mirrors' soulless puppets and finally be his true self.]]* Frog to Magus in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', if he's in your party when they try to stop Lavos and Magus goes down. Later on if you chose to fight Magus, he'll insist on doing it alone.* In ''Videogame/{{Yakuza}}'', one of Goro Majima's henchmen attempts to kill Kazuma Kiryuu with a dagger while his back is turned. Majima throws himself in front of the blade, taking a ''near-fatal stab wound to the gut'' rather than risk Kiryuu dying at anyone's hands but his own.* VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} has the standard bandit {{mooks}} yell, "Nobody shoots my buddies but ''me!''".** Also, in the mission where you have to rescue Lucky:-->'''Scooter:''' "Lucky's a friend, and by friend I mean asshole who broke all my momma's ladyparts. Could you go rescue him so I can kill him on a later occasion?"*** [[spoiler: In the General Knoxx DLC, we find out that this wasn't an empty threat. "Don't act so surprised, I told you I was gonna do it!"]]** ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'' has Handsome Jack trying to kill the Vault Hunters by posting a huge bounty on them for most of the game. However, at one point this bounty is rescinded [[spoiler:because you helped his daughter, Angel, kill herself]] - and Jack states that he wants to be the one to kill them. No one else.*** Later on, Handsome Jack posts a bounty on the bounty board asking the Vault Hunters to kill themselves for a king's ransom. [[spoiler: If you do, he'll revive them and give the promised reward, but wants you to know that you are a sell-out.]]* In ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'', this pretty much sums up Leviathan and Fafnir's mindset towards Zero.* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' has Cloud and Sephiroth. In fact, you have an anticlimactic battle where Sephiroth just stands there, waiting for Cloud to use Omnislash (waiting long enough will have Sephiroth attack Cloud with a relatively weak attack, to which Cloud will then finish him off, however).** Their battle didn't end just there, either. Their battle has carried on to a [[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren sequel movie]], a [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts crossover game]], the [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII sequel of that crossover game]], '''another''' [[VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy crossover game]], and of course, a prequel. To both their [[VideoGame/CrisisCore original game]] and the [[VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy crossover]].** It's also done literally, as well: Sephiroth has specifically stated Cloud is the "only one" who can destroy him. In every appearance he has had, he has been fought by [[Franchise/KingdomHearts Sora]], [[VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy The Warrior of Light]], [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyII Firion]], [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Tidus]], [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV Cecil]] (all three offscreen), Tifa, [[VideoGame/CrisisCore Zack Fair]], and countless others...out of all of them, only Sora and the Warrior beat him in a sword duel when Sephiroth went all out, but with the cutscenes that follow after Sephiroth makes it clear that they can't '''truly''' beat him.* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' has Jin Kisaragi who constantly says that he is the only one who must defeat his Older Brother and Rival, Ragna The Bloodedge. [[spoiler:As of ''Chrnophantasma'', he's willing to let Tsubaki do the job if he cannot.]]** Kokonoe is an even worse version. She had to be the one to frag Terumi, no one else. Even if she had to use nukes.* The 8-Bit version of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'', sees Dr. Robotnik catch Sonic the instant before he falls into a lava pit only to drop him into an adjacent, much less deadly self-devised trap. Can be seen at 1:50 [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvKZOZv7iDI here.]]** Shadow the Hedgehog has also pulled this off. He expresses regret whenever it seems Sonic is defeated by somebody other than him in various games, to the point where he saved Sonic from being killed by Silver and fighting in his place in ''VideoGames/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', [[spoiler:and [[ICantLookGesture can't even look at his dead body]] after Mephiles kills him later on.]] ** Metal Sonic, who is programmed to kill Sonic by Dr. Eggman anyways, takes this even further in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' when he turns into [[OneWingedAngel Metal Madness/Overlord]], extremely obsessed in not only defeating Sonic but also showing that he's the ''real'' Sonic.* Applies to Fayt and Albel of ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'' as Albel saves Fayt's ass on one occasion because "You worms…are…my prey… I’m not going to let…anyone else have you…".* Lili towards Asuka in ''Videogame/{{Tekken}}''. She even jumps on a certain android attacking Asuka and screams "I'm the only person allowed to defeat you!" Keep in mind this android has ''chainsaws'' for arms, and previously cut a limo in half while chasing them; lengthways. Therefore could have easily killed Lili. Any wonder why this is a budding CrackPairing?** Hwoarang is this to Jin Kazama as well as Jin is the only person who defeat him (Jin himself knows why Hwoarang wants to be that guy but he considers any rivalry there to be small-time compared to his conflict with his BigScrewedUpFamily).* Bastion, the hero of ''VideoGame/VanguardBandits'' is the only one who can land the killing blow on the FinalBoss. If anyone else does it, he comes back with half his HP restored.* Aveline says this regarding Isabela in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' at the end of Act II, [[spoiler:when the Arishok states that they'll only leave Kirkwall with both Isabela and the Tome she stole from them]].** Most of the Arishok's dialogue implies that he considers Hawke the only person in Kirkwall worthy of taking him down, especially if you've earned his respect. One interpretation of his motives for [[spoiler: invading Kirkwall and offering a DuelToTheDeath against Hawke was a way of performing SuicideByCop, freeing him from his own principles and demand of the Qun that had bound him in Kirkwall for four long years]].* Raz in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' tells his camp councilors this about the BigBad right before they send him away from the battle, claiming that "the grownups should handle this." He's understandably pissed off later.* In ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAll4One'' when you play as Qwark and Dr. Nefarious, if Qwark is killed, Nefarious will yell, "No one kills Qwark but me!" Also, [[spoiler:Nefarious saves Qwark from being possessed by the BigBad towards the end of the game.]]* According to [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary materials]], [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Auroran warriors]] in ''[[VideoGame/EscapeVelocity EV Nova]]'' sometimes acquire "blood enemies" from one of the rival Houses. The blood enemy will seek to ensure their rival's survival until they get an opportunity to face them in fair, open combat.* The ''VideoGame/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAsPortable: The Gears of Destiny'' [[AudioAdaptation Sound Stage]] which has the three Materials getting transported to the time of ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid'' has Lord Dearche feeling relieved that Hayate survived the events of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS''... because if she didn't, Lord Dearche wouldn't have the pleasure of personally defeating her someday in the future.* In VideoGame/ShinSuperRobotWars, Ghostelo wants to be the only one to beat [[Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner Eiji Asuka]]. The Daikyu Maryuu team takes advantage of this during one scenario, Ghostelo appears and smacks the supercharged Zakarl out of the way because the Layzner is his prey. Ghostelo has made himself an enemy out of his own allies, and the SRX Team realize they've only got one chance to defeat Lu Cain, something that hasn't succeeded until now, but likely won't succeed yet, causing Daimoji to sortie the rest of the crew, including the Shin Getter Robo.* In ''VideoGame/UnchartedDrakesFortune'', Nathan Drake and Eddie may feel this way. This is shown in the chapter where Drake and Eddie team up to fight The Descendants, although this might've just been the fact that they teamed up to avoid dying themselves.-->'''Eddie''': If we don't make it out of this, I just want you to know... I hate your guts.\\'''Nate''': Yeah, likewise pal, NOW LET'S DO THIS!* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': If you successfully break up the argument between [[AxCrazy Jack]] and [[WellIntentionedExtremist Miranda]], Jack will say she'll keep Miranda alive during the fight with the Collectors so she can have the pleasure of killing Miranda herself. Thankfully, they never get around to it, and eventually evolve into a VitriolicBestBuds relationship.* At one point in ''Third VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ: Tengoku-hen'', [[Characters/SuperRobotWarsZ Queen]] laments the tranquility of the days long past. She despises the pluralized world, and as he's the proximate cause of it, she reserves a special contempt for [[Anime/SuperDimensionCenturyOrguss Kei Katsuragi]]. But she would prefer not to see him in the hands of Sidereal, so she gives Z-BLUE another piece of intel: the location of his partner, Orson.* This was practically a motto of Lord Recluse in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes''. Lord Recluse spent upwards of fifty years building his resources and biding his time for the climatic final battle with his arch-enemy, Statesman. Every villain in the Rogue Isles, and their mother, and their mother's cat, knew not to set off those fireworks early without Lord Recluse's say so. [[spoiler: Well, everyone but Darrin Wade and sure enough... did not end well for him.]]* In ''VideoGame/MyHaremHeavenIsYandereHell'', the titular yanderes have been each other's only real friends since childhood. They bicker and scheme and even physically fight over [[LoveInterest Yuuya]]'s affections- but the instant someone else tries to snare him, they team up to eliminate the outsider [[spoiler:as Kayoko learned too late]]. He belongs to one of them, or to no-one at all. [[/folder]]

[[folder: Visual Novels ]]* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'':** As an odd example of this trope, Gilgamesh seems to believe that he's the only one allowed to defeat ''anybody''. He considers the world and everything in it his property, which means that he is allowed to do anything he wants to anybody he wants, but if someone ''else'' starts killing people ''en masse'' he becomes infuriated and will hunt them down for attacking his 'subjects'.** In the ''Unlimited Blade Works'' route, as Archer's identity and motives are revealed, it can be inferred that this trope is the reason why, earlier in the route, he [[spoiler:saved Shirou from Caster only to attempt to kill him afterward. Archer believes that the only way to free himself from his contract as a Counter Guardian is to personally kill his past self, engineering a large enough time paradox which will erase him. It won't work if somebody else kills Shirou before he can.]]* Used in ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'', brought up in a bonus chapter of ''Holiday Star''. An assassin hired to target Sakuya will defend Sakuya from other assassins, because he ''has'' to be the one to kill him in order to fulfill his contract. [[spoiler: [[GenreSavvy So Sakuya hires the assassin himself to kill him upon a predetermined signal, so in the meantime the assassin will act as his bodyguard]].]][[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]* In ''Webcomic/AntiheroForHire'', Wizard to Dechs, Dechs to Hector.* Seen [[http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2003-08-01 here]] in ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan: Oracle For Hire'', but {{subverted|Trope}} over the [[http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2003-08-02 next]] [[http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2003-08-04 three]] [[http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2003-08-05 strips]], which make it clear that Jacob's motives for killing the Chosen were [[BatmanGambit purely selfish.]]* In ''Webcomic/{{Adventurers}}'', when BigBad Khrima (a HarmlessVillain) saves the heroes from [[KnightOfCerebus Eternion]] in a BigDamnHeroes moment, he does it because he doesn't want another villain upstaging him.* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', Belkar helps rescuing Elan from bandits who've captured him, because "if anyone is going to get XP from him, it'll be me".** Also {{lampshade|Hanging}}d when [[TheRival Crystal]] is more than willing to let Haley go so that she can take another level of Assassin from all the free XP she gets in order to be at exactly the same level as Haley whenever they meet.** Elan's father Tarquin inverts this. Elan is the only one he will allow to defeat him -- a fair chance anyway -- since that would make an epic story. Tarquin is pretty savvy otherwise and takes precautions against letting anyone else get close enough to even try to kill him -- especially not Nale TheUnfavorite.** Speaking of Nale, his girlfriend Sabine won't let anyone except her kill Haley, and gets extremely mad at him when he (posing as Elan), seduces Haley with the intent to kill her. Notably, being a succubus, Sabine is more upset about the attempted murder than the seduction, and is only placated when Nale ensures her that he was only going to capture Haley so they could "romantically" kill her together.** Malack insists that Durkon be left for him to "handle" when it looks like their parties will be fighting each other. It's not clear whether handling him means removing him from the battlefield, killing him, or [[spoiler: turning him into a vampire like himself, which is what he ends up doing.]]* ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'': When Helen hears that the Dave Conspiracy has hired Mell to kill Dr. Narbon, she exclaims, "I don't care if they ''are'' a powerful top-secret conspiracy! No one takes out a hit on my mother! Her head is ''mine'', darn it!"* Parodied in ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' when Benny heals the mortally wounded man who killed her lover, just long enough to smash his head with a mace.* In ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily,'' Meta-Knight has Kirby cornered when Dedede attacks him from behind, saying "This is MY battle." To his dismay, Kirby hugs him in gratitude.* ''Webcomic/LastRes0rt'' has Jason Spades filling out this role to a tee:-->'''Jason:''' [[http://www.lastres0rt.com/2007/06/daisy-daisy-give-me-your-answer-true/ Doctor Archanis, the name's Jason Spades.]] On behalf of planet Fenirel, it will be an honor [[FoeYay and a pleasure]] to be your executioner.* Taken to an extreme in ''Webcomic/{{Spacetrawler}}'': Growp won't allow anyone else to kill Emily. So when his teammates fire at Emily, he shields her from the energy blasts--[[TakingTheBullet with his own body]].* In ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'', Dellyn knows Thaco has some sort of trickery planned when Thaco challenges him to a duel, but still accepts when Thaco points out that [[BatmanGambit Dellyn would rather kill Thaco personally than let one of his men do it for him]].** Later subverted when Dellyn believes Thaco feels the same way, but Thaco refuses to kill Dellyn or call him his nemesis.* Shicmuon from ''Webcomic/BlackHaze'' is positively ''[[StalkerWithoutACrush obsessed]]'' with the Black Magician Blow, AKA Rood Chrishi, to the point where he stalks every mission Blow could possibly go on just for the chance to fight him to the death. Hilariously, Rood has ''[[UnknownRival absolutely no idea who Shic even is]]'' outside of "that crazy guy who stalks me" and so goes to extreme measures to stay hidden and refrain from engaging him. This gets exaggerated to the point where Shic has gone out of his way to ''rescue'' Rood just so that he can kill him himself at a later date. Like the rest of the series, it's played up with a blend of drama and comedy.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]* In a fight between [[PsychoLesbian Laeil Burbank]] and [[EvilRedhead Melina Frost]] in ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'', Madison Conner suddenly appears and attacks Laeil to keep her from killing Melina before she can. Laeil also swears to be the only one to kill Melina, as well as kill anyone who tries to beat her to it. [[spoiler: She fails on both accounts as Melina and her killer [[MutualKill kill each other]]. [[VillainousBreakdown She doesn't take it well.]]]]* Near the end of ''[[WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC Marvel/DC: After Hours]]'', the Green Goblin turns on and beats the hell out of Lex Luthor.-->'''Lex Luthor''': You fool, this was never about you!\\'''Green Goblin''': The hell it wasn't! You threatened to wipe out Spider-Man and everything he stands for! That's ''my'' job!* At the end of Season 2 of ''WebVideo/StupidMarioBrothers'' it is Wario's reason for [[spoiler: killing Nox Decious]]* On ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' Mecha-Kara attacks Cable for this reason, as he was out to kill Linkara after he teleported him away and stole his gun.* ''WebVideo/TheJokerBlogs'' - The title character, unsurprisingly. While his priority in this series is [[StalkerWithACrush stalking Doctor Quinzel]], he doesn't appreciate another character taking a shot at Batman. "You do NOT get to do that!"* ''WebVideo/PatTheNesPunk'' is saved by [[spoiler: R.O.B.]] in the "M82 ftw" video. When Pat asks why he bothered, [[spoiler: R.O.B.]] says that if anybody's going to kill Pat, it will be ''him''.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Shego's only mildly annoyed (by her standards, anyway) when she gets imprisoned by Drakken's new alien sidekick. But when she realizes that the new girl has a chance of beating Kim, ''that'' pisses her off enough to break free and put a stop to it.-->'''Shego''': "I am not gonna let this ''she-thing'' just waltz in and destroy Kimmie! [[FoeYay That's]] ''[[FoeYay my]]'' [[FoeYay job!]] Ya hear me?"* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''. Skulker is constantly agreeing to work together with Danny and co. in order to save the world, Ghost Zone, or [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt anything else on a massive enough scale to matter]]. Normally these occurrences are justified by the fact that EVERYONE would die if all the bad guys didn't help, but he tries to make excuses anyway.* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''. Especially in the Unicron Trilogy, it seems like Megatron always seems to single out Optimus in combat. Also, in the third series of TheOriginalSeries, Cyclonus occasionally saved the life of Ultra Magnus because so he could be the one to kill him.** In ''Energon'', Sixshot ended up on ''very'' bad terms with Galvatron for constantly trying to kill Optimus himself as revenge for killing his brother Shockblast (though the fact he was willing to kill the rest of the Decepticons as collateral damage didn't help). After suffering several beatings over this, Sixshot attacked and came closer to killing Galvatron than any previous usurper, merely so he wouldn't get in the way of their vendetta. Galvatron recovered however and dealt with Sixshot accordingly.-->'''Sixshot:''' Optimus Prime will be ''mine''!-->'''Galvatron:''' ''Never!''** [[Franchise/TransformersGeneration1 G1 Megatron]] [[WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie would have waited an eternity]] for the moment where he would kill Optimus Prime.*** Used against him in one G1 episode, where Megatron is overwhelmed by a boosted Optimus and calls for backup. Starscream however smugly insists he wouldn't dare intrude on the two leaders' ageless rivalry and thoroughly enjoys watching his leader get beaten down. Sixshot pulled the same stunt in ''Energon'' after being fiercely warned off interfering with Galvatron's bouts with Optimus, shutting down all their forces until he backtracked his threat. It seems while the Decepticon leader has called his target, he's not against ''some'' assistance when required, something other Decepticons in these cases lampshaded the hypocrisy of.** The Megatron of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' has the same complex, and does not react well to Starscream trying to deal with the Autobots behind his back. "NO ONE RIDS ME OF OPTIMUS PRIME BUT ''ME''! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! DO YOU!"** Prime Megatron seems more reasonable about this than most - as long as he ordered Optimus to be killed, it's fine. There's also the pragmatic aspect where Megatron knows that he's the only one who stands a real chance of beating Optimus anyway. Once, when Dreadwing declares he's going to kill Optimus, Megatron wishes him luck, cuts communication and remarks he's pretty sure that's the last he's going to hear from Dreadwing.** Forget the Optimus/Megatron rivalry...Starscream, a [[TheDragon Dragon]] so treacherous he's [[TheStarscream got his own trope]], is so obsessed with being the only one allowed to defeat, defy or otherwise annoy Megatron; he goes into an apparently righteous rage when Skyfire, Thrust, Sideways and ''the Constructicons'' even allude to an EnemyCivilWar. Hell, he even saves Megatron from someone else's betrayal in "Atlantis, Arise!" It's a safe bet that he only went along with Blitzwing and Astrotrain's plan in "Triple Takeover" because they let him be the one to lead Megatron into the trap.** Motormaster also feels this way about Optimus Prime, as he feels that Prime is TheRival to his self-professed title of "King of the Road".* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': The Monarch and Baron Ünderbheit compete for this role against Thaddeus Venture, with The Monarch's unexplained obsession forming the basis of a comical deconstruction of this trope as a form of addiction.** In general, the Guild of Calamitous Intent arranges these through the villains and protagonists so that there is ''supposed'' to be only one person you can defeat you. This is what gets the Monarch in trouble with the Guild originally, he wasn't the person who was allowed to defeat Venture. So, this trope is literally enforced by Guild law.* Proto Man and Mega Man in the US series of ''WesternAnimation/MegaMan''.** Specifically, in the ''very first episode'' when Wily wants to [[CombatPragmatist blast Mega Man,]] Proto Man smashes the necessary button before Wily can press it and tells Wily that Mega is "his". And in "Future Shock", Mega's attempt to use the stolen time machine (long story) is thwarted by a low-powered bomb planted in the cockpit--by Proto Man, no less; it was only so he and Mega could have a proper fight. And don't get me started on [[FoeYay "Bro Bots"...]]* Prince Zuko in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' needs to capture Aang to regain his honor and be allowed back into the Fire Nation. This has led him to rescue Aang from other Fire Nation soldiers.** Also somewhat inverted later when [[spoiler:Zuko decides the one to kill his father has to be ''Aang'', not himself, even when he [[KillHimAlready had the opportunity]].]]** Likewise, in the series finale, [[spoiler:Iroh refuses to fight Fire Lord Ozai (despite being the only other person powerful enough to beat him), because the Avatar has to do it himself to truly achieve peace. The Avatar carries considerably more clout than two exiles, who would be treated as such.]]* In a literal sense, Demona and Theatre/{{Macbeth}} in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', who [[spoiler:due to sorcery are immortal unless one kills the other.]]** Demona, also feels this way about Goliath for the most part. [[spoiler: There is even an episode, where Demona attacks Elisa Maza to draw Goliath out in the open and hunts him for the rest of the episode. If not for Hudson being with him, Demona would have succeeded. This would become enhanced once Demona realized she had a daughter named Angela.]]* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''** In more than one episode, the Joker displays this attitude towards Batman: only he gets to kill Batman, or, failing that, he (the Joker) dies in one last climactic battle between the two. He even tried to kill a lowly henchman who was thought to have killed the Bat.** Exploited in [[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE21MadLove "Mad Love"]] when [[PsychoSupporter Harley]] captures Franchise/{{Batman}} with the idea of getting him out of the way, so she and "Mistah J" can be together at last. [[BatmanGambit Batman suckers her into calling the Joker]], supposedly so that he will have no [[NeverFoundTheBody doubt]] that [[KilledOffForReal Batman is indeed dead]]. What the [[AxCrazy Joker]] does to her next [[BattleDiscretionShot has even the Bat disgusted]]. (She tries to calm Joker down by pointing out how he inspired her scheme, [[DontExplaintheJoke but that doesn't help]].) Earlier in that same episode, after Batman's been caught in a cloud of knock-out gas:--->'''Harley:''' That's a real gasser, huh, Mistah J?\\'''Joker:''' (''grabs her'') ''I'' give the punchlines around here, ''got it?''\\'''Harley:''' (''scared'') Yes sir.** In the comic book ''Mad Love'', which inspired the episode, the Joker throws poor Harley [[DestinationDefenestration out of a fifth-story window]] after arriving on the scene - in the episode, it's "only" the third-story.** There is also [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriese51TheManWhoKilledBatman "The Man Who Killed Batman"]], [[spoiler:where Joker becomes depressed after learning of Batman's death. He stages a jewelry store robbery with the man credited for his death, hoping Batman will show up. When he doesn't, he clearly shows anger towards the man credited for his death and has him thrown into a pit of acid. Batman, however, is still alive and saves him at the last minute without making Joker aware.]]** Genially exploited by [[ThisLoserIsYou "miserable little nobody" Charlie Collins]] in [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE22JokersFavor "Joker's Favor"]]: after the Joker spends the entire episode relentlessly menacing him and threatening his family, Collins snaps and becomes a CorneredRattlesnake [[TakingYouWithMe willing to take the Joker with him]] in a HeroicSacrifice and ensure in the process that the Joker won't be taken down by his ArchEnemy or go out in a blaze of glory, but will instead meet an unceremonious end at the hands of an insignificant nobody. [[Awesome/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Collins manages to inspire fear in a psychopath by menacing the only real dream he has:]] --->'''Charlie:''' You're not getting caught, not this time. [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb I found this bomb in the van]]. [[PreMortemOneLiner This is how it ends, Joker]]. [[FinalBattle No big schemes, no great fight to the finish with the]] [[ArchEnemy Dark Knight]]. Tomorrow, all that the papers will say is that [[{{Anticlimax}} the Great Joker was blown to pieces in an alley]], [[DeusExMachina alongside a]] [[IronicEcho miserable little nobody]]. Ha. Kind of funny, ironic really: See! [[BadassBystander I can destroy your dreams too!]] [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou And that's really the only dream you have, isn't it?]]** This is carried over to ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', where Joker actually goes so far as to incapacitate EvilCounterpart EvilDuo [[ThemeNaming Wrath and Scorn]] with Joker Gas (after the duo had gone out of their way to repeatedly help the villains of Gotham in escaping Batman and Robin, Joker included) because they threatened to reveal Batman's secret identity to the entirety of Arkham.** As ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' would demonstrate, [[spoiler: Joker would die twice to someone other than what he would consider Batman, and he wouldn't get the real Batman either.]]** Also displayed in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', during an episode where Batman is fighting his evil alternate self Owlman and has teamed up with the Joker to give himself an advantage. At one point, the Joker rescues Bats from being killed.* Sinedd to D'Jok in ''WesternAnimation/GalactikFootball'', apparently.* In the ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperheroes'', Superman clone Superman X was literally created to fight galactic despot Imperiex; when Brainiac 5 wiped him out with the wave of a hand, X seemed a lot more disturbed by the appropriation of his nemesis than by Brainy's FaceHeelTurn or his subsequent "[[NotQuiteDead murder]]" of Superman.* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': this was the reason given by the Stalker after he rescued Terry.* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButthead'', a candy salesman gets mad at the duo for eating all the product they were supposed to sell. When he begins attacking the two of them for it, the teacher, Coach Buzzcut, steps in and beats him up, proclaiming, "This is MY class, I do the ass-kicking around here!"* Zim of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' is out to destroy the Earth, but won't stop at anything to thwart anyone else who tries to do it competently.** Dib is also obsessed with Zim.* In the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "And Then There Were Fewer", [[spoiler: Diane Simmons]] attempts to kill Lois. However, Stewie shoots [[spoiler: Diane]] so that ''he'' can be the one to kill Lois.* Something similar happens in ''WesternAnimation/RugratsInParis: The Movie'' when Angelica is telling off CorruptCorporateExecutive Coco [=LaBouche=] about what she was doing:-->'''Angelica''': "Listen, lady, no one messes with my dumb babies 'cept me!"* A less FoeYay and more innocent version of this occurs in ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}''. In one episode, the moose kid, George, is being picked on by bullies. Then Binky, the established bully of the series approaches them and says, "Hey! You can't pick on that kid! He's in my class!" George looks relieved, until Binky adds, "Only ''I'' get to pick on him!"* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Pre-School" Trent Boyett, who Cartman describes as the "Meanest, dirtiest, toughest kid in the world, super-pissed off at US Trent Boyett", is released from Juvenile Hall. The boys framed him for an accident and he is out for revenge. As they can't go to their parents as they lied years ago and he beat up the sixth graders, Stan decides to go to Shelly for help.-->'''Shelly''': Calm down, turd! No Juvenile Hall turd is going to kill you. That's my job.** Cartman's obsession with Kyle that easily clear FoeYay.* On ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Doofenshmirtz]] feels this way about [[ArchEnemy Perry]]. And Perry feels the same way apparently: in "It's about Time", Doofenshmirtz fights a different secret agent, and it's played out like a [[FoeYay romantic breakup]].* In ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'', a genie hunter hired by [[EvilSorcerer Mozenrath]] leads Mozenrath to believe that Aladdin was killed in the process of hunting the genie, because he's turned against the sorcerer and wants Aladdin to be able to come and rescue Genie. Mozenrath ''hates'' this, to the point where when Aladdin shows up, he says he's glad Aladdin is alive so ''he'' can kill him.* A non-violent variation in ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'': when Miss Nettle returns in disguise with a scheme to steal Sofia's amulet, our heroine wins the aid of Cedric when she tells him Miss Nettle's after the amulet - which, of course, he himself has been after since day one:-->'''Cedric''': No one can have that amulet but me!...er, I mean ''you'', Princess!* Inverted in ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack''; Jack encounters a Guardian protecting a time portal, who says that the only person allowed to use the portal is the one who beats the Guardian in battle, and that Jack isn't that person. Jack tries anyway, and gets a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown for his troubles. [[spoiler:Of course, turns out Jack ''is'' the one who'll defeat the Guardian...it's just that it's not his time ''yet''.]]* Brain from ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' won't stand for ''anyone'' else taking over the world before he does -- to that end, he occasionally finds himself in the position of having to ''save'' the world from some other threat, from his rival Snowball the hamster to a giant meteor ("So it is available to take over tomorrow night").* At one point in the season two premier of ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'', [[KnightOfCerebus Lord Dominator]] has captured [[AllLovingHero Wander]], [[PowerOfHate Lord Hater]] goes into a frenzy, breaks out of his bonds, and smashes Dominator with the very same robotic minion that bound him, green electricity crackling all around him.-->'''Hater''': Wander's MY enemy!\\'''Wander''': Enemy?! Come on Hater, you know an enemy is just a friend you haven't made yet!\\'''Hater''': What? EW! Shut up! {''He shoots a lightning bolt at Wander, freeing him'')* In ''WesternAnimation/AllHailKingJulien'' after self-proclaimed arch-nemesis Karl claims to not be involved in the current evil scheme and notes it to be pedestrian and beneath him, he shows up during the climax to save Julien's life.-->'''Karl''': Julien and I are locked in an epic battle of light and dark! He is my nemesis, and I am his. I can't have you and your pedestrian little "rope trap and a pack of fossa" plan get in the way of that! You see, Julien's fate belongs to me! Not you! Me!